Apple today announced that the new Apple TV software update, which allows users to rent high definition movies directly from their widescreen TVs, is not quite finished. Apple now plans to make the free software download available to existing Apple TV customers in another week or two.

MacDailyNews Take: We will rent no movie before its time.

Apple TV’s software update will allow movie fans to rent movies on the iTunes Store directly from their widescreen TV. With iTunes Movie Rentals and Apple TV, users can just click a button on their remote to effortlessly rent movies from a catalog of over 1,000 titles by the end of February, including over 100 titles in stunning high definition video with 5.1 Dolby Digital surround sound, with no computer required. DVD-quality iTunes Movie Rentals are $2.99 for library titles and $3.99 for new releases, and high definition versions are just one dollar more with library titles at $3.99 and new releases at $4.99. Purchases downloaded to Apple TV are automatically synced back to iTunes on the user’s computer for enjoyment on their computer, all current generation iPods (iPod classic, iPod nano with video, iPod touch) or iPhone. Apple TV easily connects to a broad range of widescreen TVs and home theater systems and comes standard with HDMI, component video, analog and optical audio ports.

The new Apple TV software will be available as a free automatic download to all Apple TV customers within two weeks. Apple TV, which includes the Apple Remote, is available from the Apple Store, Apple’s retail stores and Apple Authorized Resellers for a suggested retail price of $229 for the 40GB model and $329 for the 160GB model (US and Canada). Apple TV requires an 802.11g/n wireless network or 10/100 Base-T Ethernet networking, a broadband Internet connection and a high definition widescreen TV. iPod games will not play on Apple TV. iTunes Movie Rentals are available in the US only.

> These missed software deadlines are becoming a rule rather than exceptions

Fascinating random blather. Please list all of Apple’s software releases for the past 10 years, mark the ones that were “late,” and show me a trend. I’ll save you time: software development runs late sometimes it’s nothing new. Not for Apple, not for any software company. And it’s not the “rule” for Apple. It’s the rule for Microsoft.

“Purchases downloaded to Apple TV are automatically synced back to iTunes on the user’s computer for enjoyment on their computer, all current generation iPods (iPod classic, iPod nano with video, iPod touch) or iPhone.”

I read in a review that purchases made through Apple TV won’t sync with iPod/iPhones, and ones made on the computer will do iPod/iPhone but not Apple TV… I wonder who is right?